The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly seeking a naming rights partner for the field at Dodger Stadium, their home since 1962.
Going forward, the Dodgers could to obtain some revenue from Dodger Stadium’s field. Reports suggest that the Dodgers are looking for a corporate naming rights partner to place its name branding on the field, but that any agreement will not result in the sale of the Dodger Stadium name itself. (For visual purposes, the end result would be along the lines of Corporate Sponsor Field at Dodger Stadium.)
On Tuesday, Dodgers president Stan Kasten said that the club has no intention of selling the Dodger Stadium name. If the field’s naming rights are sold, it would be the latest–and perhaps most prominent–example of the Dodgers finding a corporate sponsor a part of their home ballpark. More from The Los Angeles Times:
“That has never been for sale,” Kasten said in Chicago, where the Dodgers played the White Sox on Tuesday night. “It never will be for sale.”
To the Dodgers, the possible sale of naming rights for the field is no different than the previous sales of naming rights for the stadium suites (BMW) or the baseline club (Ketel One) or the right-field pavilion (Coca Cola). Kasten said he is not concerned about the risk of sullying the name of an iconic stadium.
“We’re not worried about any discussions that we’re having now being a problem. We’re not selling the name of the stadium,” he said. “That’s the only thing I’m willing to tell you.”
According to Sports Business Journal, which first reported the potential sale, the Dodgers have pitched field naming rights for several months, with an asking price of $12 million per season. In February, the Dodgers confirmed that they would solicit investors interested in buying a minority share of the team. No deal on either front appears imminent.
Currently the third-oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, Dodger Stadium has a remarkable history that places it among the more venerable venues in the game. It also has the distinction of never had a corporate naming rights partner throughout its history, something that very few active MLB facilities can claim.